Lancaster tech firm Gaist targets India’s multi-billion pound smart cities market

A technology firm in Lancashire is taking part in an Indian trade mission to break into the country’s multi-billion pound smart cities market.

Gaist Solutions will use the Connected Cities trip to attend the India-UK Tech Summit in New Delhi and pitch to potential customers in Pune, Kochi and elsewhere.

The Lancaster-based company’s tech aims to unlock high volumes of information relating to the position and serviceability of highways infrastructure, allowing for vivid visualisation in relation to other data needed to understand how the networks are operating.

Gaist said its services provide clients with the ability to model the long-term usage and performance of their highways networks.

Taking place next week (November 6–12), the trade mission represents a joint initiative between innovation agency Innovate UK, nonprofit Future Cities Catapult, Enterprise Europe Network and the Department for International Trade.

Gaist MD Steve Birdsall said: “At Gaist we recognise that smart cities will only develop if the right physical transportation infrastructure is in place and maintained correctly.

“We see a huge opportunity in deploying the technology and services into India that will rapidly provide the information needed to empower decision makers to take the right strategic decisions that will ensure that the transportation networks will support sustained urbanisation long into the future.”

He continued: “Gaist already have a joint venture in India and are looking to grow a network of partners and clients across the whole of India over the coming year.”

Innovate UK chief exec Ruth McKernan commented: “I congratulate Gaist Solutions on their participation in the forthcoming Connected Cities trade mission to India. It is vital that UK innovators look to engage globally in developing new partnerships and market opportunities.

“The size of the opportunity from the Indian smart cities market is immense with £24 billion investment expected across 100 cities over the next five to seven years.”

She added: “UK small businesses are very well placed to take advantage of this market.”

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